DEATH OF REV JAMES TREADWELL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVIIII, Issue 12226, 25 January 1897, Page 2

DEATH OF REV JAMES TREADWELL

-• . . The Rev James Treadwell, (lie beloved pastor of St Paul's Presbyterian Church, passed paacefully away yesterday afternoon at a . fow minutes to 4 o'clook. The tolling of thß mournful funeral knell at church time was the first intimation the community received that a devoted christian minister, a highly respected citizon and a fond husband and father, had borno with indomitable courage and chriitian fortitude ihe agonies of a long and psinful illness, had at last realised that It is uot death to die, ' To leave tbis weary ro'd And 'mid the Brotherhood ou high, To ha at Home with God. The deceased gentleman was born in Qloucesterihire on the 2nd April, 1885, and received his early education in a boardiap school at Coldslranor, in Berwickshire, where he was enrolled at the age of 1 1. Even in his boyhood he set hie heart on ministerial' work, so much as that at tha immature age of 15 he removed to Edinburgh and studied for four years at the ministry and four additional years in the Free Church Divinity Hal), completing his course at the ase of 23. Mr Treadwe'l was licensed by the presbytery of Blairgowrie in the beginning of 1859,and in September sailed for Viotoria, where he arrived after a long and weary voyage. Mr Treadwell came out ander the auspices of the Free Ohurch Colonial Committee, and was soon called to the charge of Balmoral and Han- >w, where he was ordained by the presbytery of Ballarat. On 20th August, 1861, while 1 Btill fillin? this charge, ■ Mr Treadwell was married to Miss Helen Mather Anderson, a daughter of Mr Thomas Anderson, raanagir of the Commercial Bank at Hamilton, Lan'arkoline, Scotland, but in 18b'5, in consequence of ill-health, he turned his face onco more towards North Britain, tiking with him his wifo and two children, and leaving behind an attached floe'*. At Home be was called by the Free Ohurch Congregation at StevenstoD, iu the wost of Scotland.where he rjmained until 1976, when he came out to commissioned by the o donißl committee of the Free Churoh to succeed the Rev Dr Elmslie, who received a call to Christchureh. The good work he haspeformed during his 20 vears' ministry here is weU known, and, apart from the duties of his char-ie, he his laboured undefatigably in tbe cause of education, occupying for a number of years a seat on the Wanganui School Committee. About two years ago, or a little more, he wa» afflicted . with a aerious internal disorder, and consequently went down to Christchurch aod submitted to an oparation As a result he waa reh'eved for a few months and was able to go on with his work. In May of last year he formed one of a committee of the Northern Church appointed to meet a committee of the Southern Churcb, on the question of the | union of the oburches. The agreemont then arrived at has siooe been approved by the latter church, aud it is expected that the northern representatives will probably do likewise at their conference in February next. Ihis was the last public work m whioh our esteemed townsman assisted, as shortly after his raturn from the south he suffered a relapse, and despite all that medical ekill and loving kindness could do, he lingerel on in pain until yeßterday, when death gave the weary sufferer sweat release. A widow and a- grown-up family— four sons and three dsughtera— ara left to mourn their lo»s. The eons are, Mr C. H. Treadwell, barrister, of Wellington; Bev. A H Tread-all of Lyttelton ; Mr W. J. Treadwell, barrister, of this town ; and Mr J. H. A. Treadwell of Wanganui, farmer. Two of the daughters are at home, but the third resides at Lyttelton with her husband, Captain fitdntyre. The sorrowing relatives will be the recipients of widespread Bymp-thy, in which we sincerely join. The deceased gentleman had several times expressed tbe wiab that he might be permitted to breathe his laat on a Sabbath, a wish, it was his privilege to realise. The funeral takes place on Wednesday afternoon, when the last sad rites will be performed by the Bev, J. Patterson, of Wellington, one of the' deceased's oldest and moßt intimate friends, assisted by members of the praßbytery. The Bev. Mr MoDoug.], recently from the United State?, occupied the pulpit at St. Paul's yesterday, and in the evening, before commenoing bia address, made the sorrowftil announcement that 'heir pastor was no more. The preacher took as his text tliD words "Oh death where is thy sting j oh grave, where is thy victori-," and preached a very eloquent and touching sermon. An impressive service concluded with the " Dead March in Saul <' played by Mr Walter Impett. Appropriate references to tbe sad event were also made by the Bev. George Bond at Trinity Weßleyan Church j by the Rev' Harold Peters, at the Baptist Church : by the Bev. A. O. Williams, at Christ Churcb, the congregations at the latter standing while the organist (Mr A R. Consterdme) played th9 '• Dead March in Saul.''